Starting mechanism for explosive-engines.



-R. MOKBB- I STARTINQ-MECHA'NISM FOB EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1909.

. Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

2' sums-sum 1.

,i llllm lllllllllllllllllll i ||||llll lllllllll R. Mc'KEE.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR BXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULYG, 1909 Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

WITRESSES a W r mm Maxine, on rHInADELrHL i,.rnNnsYLvAnrn. I

' To all whom it may concerns i I .Be' it known that 1, ROBERT a citizenof the United States, and a resident of the city and county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inStarting-Mechanism for Explosive-Engines, of which the following isa'specificationgj e v My invention has reference to starting mechanismfor/explosive engines and consists of certain improvements which arewhich-form a part thereof.

and without the necessity ofmaking special ment of intermediatemechanism. between.

fully set out in the following specification and shown in theaccompanying drawings The object of my invention isto .provide a ;c onstru"ction of starting mechanism which may be applied toexplosive'engines employed 'on automobiles and for other purposeswherebya premature explosion and backwardstarting of the engine crankshaft cannotinjure the operator .When starting the engine. 1 p

Myobject is also tojprovid-e a construction of starting mechanism whichmaybe applied to automobiles now-in existence construction in theengine.

\My invention comprehends the emplo'y the crank handle, or lever of thestarting mechanism and the engine shaft which,

while adapted. torotate the engine shaft and "overcome the compressionwithin the cylinder of the engine, -'will yield under certain strainssuch a premature explosion and quick reversal of the engine shaft, saidintermediate means embodying a yielding friction device and anon-yielding connecting clutch mechanism between the friction 7mechanism in explosive engines embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is asectional elevation thereofg. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the samewith the upper part of the hand crank or lever broken away; and Figs.

4: and 5 are elevations showing a modifica t-i onef my inve ntion.

Specification of Letters Patent. i Application filed July 6, 1909.

s'renrme mncnanisiviron nxrnosrvn-nnremns.

Patented cc, as, rare. Serial'No. 506,015.

2 is.a main bearing which is adapted to be bolted to a cross barconnecting the chassis or main frame of the automobile. TlllS hearingmay be shaped to suit any automobile structure to which my invention 'isto be'applied; 3 is an engine crank shaft and'is provided on the endwith the usual ratchet clutch 4; and 5 is a starting shaft journaled inthe bearing with provisions for rotary motion and'longitudinaladjustment and the end of this shaft is provided with a. ratchet clutchpart 6, which is the counter part of the clutch part 4 of the engineshaft and with which it'engages in starting the rotation of the engine.

" The shaft 5 has, formed upon it, a collar 7 and is extended beyond thecollar a con-v siderable distance, the end terminating in ascrew-threaded part 12 provided with a nut 13 and a lock nut 14. Sleevedupon the shaft 5 between the collar and the lock nut,

are the following parts, namely; a friction 'washer- 8 preferably formedin vulcanized fiber resting against the collar 7 a friction .di'sk -9resting against the friction washer and having upon its peripheryratchet teeth 10 and upon its forward face an annular row of ratchetteeth '11, a second friction clamping sleeve 16 having a flange 17pressing against the last. mentioned friction washer 15, and alargewasher 18 pressing upon the endof the sleeve 16 and adapted to receivethepressure of the nut 9. By

tightening the nuts '13 and 14 the sleeve 16 and its flange 17 may beforced with more ,or' less pressure upon Y the remaining parts sleevedupo'nth'e. shaft 5 so" as to clamp the friction disk 9' with greatenorlesspressure to create the necessary amount of gripping action betweenthe ratchet disk and the shaft and its connections. To prevent thesleeve from rotating upon the shaft 5, a key or feather 20 issecured'tothe inner part of the'sleeve and works in a slot 21 on theshaft 5 so that the sleeve and its flange,

as well as the collar 7, are required to rotate as a unit. This mannerof rotation of the friction disk 9 will cause the shaft. 5 to be rotatedwith a proper amount of-power of transmission. I

Journaled upon the sleeve 16 is the hub 22 of a hand crank 23.1 This hubhas freedomof rotation and of longitudinal reciprowasher. 15 alsopreferably of vulcanized fiber. "and resting against the friction disk,a

cation upon the sleeve; further has upon oneface ratchet teeth 2'4 whichengage'the fratchet teeth 11 of the-friction disk 9 .so

as to rotate the said disk to the right when the crank is rotated to theright and when standing in front of the nut; end of the shaft 5; and theOPPOSltB': faceof -thehub is provided with an outwardly extendingtubu-lar flange 19'which looselyfits over the Washer 18 so as to form anannular chamber in which is located a coil spring 26-one end of whichpresses against the washer and the otherend against the hub of the'handcrank or lever so as to normally keep the ratchet teeth. thereof inengagement with the ratchet teeth 11 of the friction disk, whilepermitting the saidhand crank to.be adjusted to any position desiredwith re- .s ect to the circumferenceof the said fric- :tlOIl disk toenable the operator to' get a. i. proper purchase in starting therotation of the engine.

27 is a pawl pivoted themain bearing 2 and is spring pressed into,engagement with the teeth'lO of the friction disk 9 -by afspring 28 soas to prevent the friction ratchet teeth 10 of the friction disk pass.

disk from turning backward, or to the left. It will now be understoodthat, if the hand crank or lever is rotated to the right, it. willrevolve the friction disk 9 with it, by means of thefriction devices,the shaft 5 and there-' by, through the clutches 4L and 6, rotate the 1engine shaft 3-. -During this action, the

freely, under the spring actuated pawl.

Should the enginestart up properly the shaft 5 and the friction disktravel freely und'ei'. the pawl and with respect to the hand crank -orlever. "If the 'engine has premature explosion and kicks backward, thepawl 27 vwill hold the friction disk 9 from rotating-backward Whereasthe shaft- 5 will re-, volve by overcoming the friction between thefriction disk 9 and the collar 7 and thev flangel? together with thewashers 8 and 15,- By the friction disk being 'held againstbackwardrnotion it'is evident that no strainwill'come upon the handcrank or lever due 'to'gthe backward rotation or kick of the engine.

, The shaft5 is provided-within theibean, ing 2 with two annulargrooves29 and 30,

and the bearing 2 is provided with a cup 31 which acts as a guide foradetent plug 32 Y and a spring 33 which forces the detent plug intoengagement with the grooves 29 and 30.

A's shown in Fig; 2 the detent'is in engage ment with the grdove'29andnormally holds the clutches 4 and .5 in contact during the startingof-the engine. When the engine r0;

tate's under its own explosion the cam surfaces-of the'parts 4 and '6force the shaft 5 Itingitudinally so that the annular groove 29 is,forced out of engagement with the Spring flgfi'fled deter 1t lugsa andthe annular V groove 30 is brought into alin ement so as to be engagedby, the said detent plug and thereby insure the clutch part 6 being heldout of engagement with the clutch part t during he normal running of,the engine. When thi action takes place, the entire shaft 5 and allofthe mechanism carried with it are partly shiftedwithrespect tothebearing 2 and the pawl '27. 'After stopping the en gine, should it bedesired to again start the but this would not give provisions forlocking the crank in'the'best possible position for starting the engine,and hence I prefen to make it independent. of the said friction disk andprovide connecting means in the form of the ratchet: teeth or' someother equivalent device. As another mode of making thisconnection, 1'have shown in- Figs. 4 and 5 a modification in which the ratchet teeth.10 of the friction'disk 9' are made wider :and in which the crank lever23 is provided with a spring pawl'g i which I engages the said ratchetteeth on the friction disk. Iiip'refer however, the form of con;

struction as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The friction disk 9 is preferably formed with a recess'on one face sothat the pe-' ripheral flange thereof will extend over the. a

washer 8 and the collar 7 and shield them in turning; and the lockcaused by forming the teeth 11 of the friction disk and the teeth I 24:of the crank lever hub to engage all the.

way around, an annular chamber will be' provided which shields thefriction Washer "-15- and the flange 17 of the'sleeve '16. All

' of the parts are constructed so as .to be coma pact, well protectedand easily repaired.-

-By-sin 1ply removing the two nuts 13 and 14: the entire 0 erative partsmay be stripped from the sha t for poses.

While I have'shown' my invention in the cleaning .or other purform whichI-have employed it for actual use and which preferred construction,embodies my invention a satisfactory manner, I do not restrigt myselfto the de( tails shown as these may-be modified in various ways withoutdeparting from -the '1'2o Having nowdescribedjmy invention what desire"to secure byLetspirit of the invention.

1' claimas new, and

'ters Patent is}:

' 1, Inira; starting ldevice for explosive engines, the combination of arotatable shaft, 'a frlotion disk 'sleeved'upon-the shaft and havingannular-friction surfaces, friction devices in annular-form for clampingthe I opposite-annular surfaces'of thefriction disk and fr1ctionallyholdinfg it-to 'the shaft tate freely in the other direction, and handoperated means independent of'the frictiondisk for rotating it in onedirection but free.

to rotate relatively to the disk in the other direction at all times.

2. In a-jstarting device for explosive engines, the combination of arotatable shaft having an annular flange, an annular .friction diskloosely sleeved upon the. shaft and coacting with the annular flange;thereof, friction devices in .the form of an annular disk adjustablelengthwise upon the shaft and adjusting means therefor for clampingthefriction disk to the annular flange sf the shaft whereby, they may berotated together, means to prevent the friction ,disk rotating in onedirection while permitting it to rotate freely in the other direction,and hand operated means for rotating the friction disk consisting of alever and mechanical devices between the said lever andfriction disk forrotating the friction disk in one .direction while permitting it torotate freely in the other direction without rotating the lever. I

'3. In astartin'g-device for explosive engines, the combination ofjarotatable shaft, a friction disk sleeved upon the shaft, frictiondevices for clamping the friction disk to the shaft whereby they may berotated together, means to prevent the, friction disk rotating in onedirection While permitting it to rotate freely. inthe other direction,and

leverand a spring device for maintaining said pa-vvl and ratchetdevicesin normal engagement.

jfn a starting device for explosive en'- gmes, thGpOInblIlittlOIl of arotatable shaft,

a friction disk sleeved upon. the shaft and providing an annular surfacetransversely to the shaft, friction devicesrotating with the, shaft andhaving annular surfaces for clamping the friction d sk to the shaftwhere by they may be rotated together, means to prevent the frictiondisk rotating in one direction While permitting it to rotatefreely inthe other direction consisting of ratchet teeth on the friction disk, apawl device for preventing the ratchet teeth. and friction disk fromrotating in one direction only, and hand operated means for rotating thefriction disk.

5. In a starting device for explosive engines, the combination of arotatable shaft, a friction disk sleeved upon the shaft, fric1 tiondevices for clamping the friction disk to the shaft whereby they may berotated together, means to prevent the frictiondisk rotating in onedirection While permitting it to rotate freely in the other direction,hand. operated means for rotating the friction disk, a bearing for theshaft in which it may rotate and reciprocate longitudinally, the .detentmechanism for holding the said shaft in either of two longitudinaladjust ments while permitting free rotation, Whereby the clutch on theshaft n1ay engage the engine shaft or be held out of engagementtherewith.

gines, the combination of a rotatable shaft having a clutch for engagingthe engine shaft having two parallel annular grooves about itscircumference, a friction disk sleeved 'upon the shaft, friction devicesfor clamping the friction disk to the shaft mitting free rotation,whereby the clutch on the shaft may engage the engine shaft or be heldoutofengagement therewith. 7.. In a starting mechanism forexplosiveengines, the combination of a starting shaft having an annular collar,with a flanged sleeve carried bytheshaft, a friction disk sleeved uponthe shaft intermediate of the collar and-the sleeve and having its.periphery formed with ratchet teeth, adjusting means on the shaft forcreatinga friction upon the frlctiondisk to normally prevent rotationthereof relatively to the shaft, a pawl'engagingthe ratchet teeth of thefric- "tion disk to prevent rotation of. the disk in one direction and ahand operated .lever having a mechanical connection with the frictiondisk to, rotate it. v v

8. In a starting mechanism'for explosive engines, the combinationof astarting shaft having an annular collar, with -a flanged 1 sleevecarried-be thesh'aft, a fr ction disk sleeved upon the sheftinterm'ediate of the collar and the sleeve and having its peripheryformed with ratchet teeth, adjusting means on the shaft fer creating afriction upon thefriction diskto normally prevent rotation thereofrelatively to the shaft, a pawl engagingthe ratchet teeth of thefriction disk to, prevent rotation of the disk in one directiona handoperated lever provided with ratchet teeth engaging the fric- "tion diskto rotate it,and spring devices for pressing the hand operated, leverinto engagem'ent with the friction disk. I 9. In astarting mechanism forexplosive. engines, the eombination of a starting shaft 75 6. In astarting device for explos ve en-c having an annular collar, with aflanged sleeve'carried by the shaft, a friction disk sleeved upon theshaft intermediate of the collar and the sleeve and having its peripheryformed with ratchet teeth, friction wash-.

ers' between the collar and the friction disk and between thefianged'sleeve and friction disk, adjusting means on the shaftfforcreating a friction upon the friction disk to normally prevent rotationthereof relatively to thershaft, a pawl engaging the t ratchet teeth ofthe friction disk toprevent rotation of the disk in one direction, and-athe flange sleeve and having a tubular hand operated lever having amechanical connection with the friction disk to rotate it. 10. In astarting mechanism for explo-.

' sive engines, the combination ofv a starting shaft j having an annularcollar, f with a flanged sleeve carried by the shaft, a friction disksleeved upon the shaft intermediate of the collar'and the sleeve andhaving ,its periphery formed with ratchet teeth, ad

justing means on the shaft for creating a friction upon the frictiondisk to normally prevent rotation thereof relatively to the shaft, apawl engaging the ratchet. teeth of the-friction disk to preventrotation of the disk in one direction, a hand operated lever having amechanical connection with the friction disk to rotate-it journaled'uponflange, awasher clamped in. position betate,whereby the shaft may .beheld in or tween th'e'end of'the sleeve and the adjusting means, anda'coil spring within the tn bular flange and pressing at one end upon'the hand operated lever and at the other endupon'lthe washen.

11; In av starting device for an explosive engine, a vbearing, a shaftsupportedin the bearing with provision for rotary andlongitudinalmovementand having upon its .end a clutch device for engagement with theengine, and automatic means for holding the shaft in two positions oflongitudinal adjustment while permitting it to freely r0- out' ofengagementwithlthe engine, combine'd with a hand operated-friction disk,

means to prevent the friction disk rotating in one direction whileallowing it to rotate in the opposite direction-,.' and friction de- Ivices between the friction disk' and the shaft whereby the hand operateddevices may normally rotate the shaft in one direction through thefriction devices, and whereas the rotation of the shaftinthe oppositedirection cannot rotate the hand operated I devices.

12. Inca startingdevice for explo ive en-Y- gines, the combination of arotatable shaft having an annular radial surface, a friction disksleevedupon the shaft and adjustable axially thereon, friction devicesfor clamping the friction disk against the annular radial. surface ofthe shaft with a constant pressure whereby they maybe rotated totheshaft fbr clamping the friction disk to the shaft-whereby they may berotated togetheJ means to'prevent the friction disk rotat tg in onedirection while permitting it td rotate freely in the other direction,

hand operated means for rotating the friction disk consisting. of; alever and mechani cal-d vices between the said lever and friction iskforrotating'the friction disk in one direction while. ermitting it torotate freely in-the other direction without rotating the 'lever, andspring devices for keeping tion disk. I

l4. Ina starting-device for explosive en gine, the combination of; arotatable shaft hav ng an annular projecting partand anendcylindrical'ektension beyond the annular part, an a'rmularly shapedfriction creating device arranged concentric to the shaft and creatingaconstantfriction with the annular the hand lever in engagement with thefricprojecting part thereof, means to prevent the annularly shapedfriction device rotating in one direction while permitting it to freelyrotate in the other direction, a crank handle 7 having a cylindrical hubby which it is journaled eoncentric'with' respect to the cylindricalextension of the shaft and provided with' means for engaging the annularfriction device to rotate it.

In testimony of hich'. invention, I hereanto set my hand.- V ROBERTMGKEE.

VVitnes ses: m-

R. M. KELLY,

R. M. HUNTER.

